Advice On Improving Your Dog’s Temperment Through Training

by | Mar 14, 2023 | Dog Training

TIP! If you plan on using a crate as part of your puppy’s training routine, introduce the apparatus and its’ functions very gradually. Once he is comfortable walking in and out of the crate, try quietly closing the door and offering him a biscuit through the wires.

If you are a new dog owner, then you are surely curious about the best tips for canine training. Below you will find several helpful hints for tackling common canine training problems.

TIP! Always buy a crate that is the correct size for your dog so you can train them well. Your little puppy will get bigger, remember! Find a crate big enough for your adult dog.

Ensure your dogs are active and getting a lot of exercises. Dogs can get bored very easily. When dogs are bored they are difficult to train. Dogs are more inclined to obey when they are regularly taken out for exercise and happily accepted as a member of your family. Take your dog on long walks or runs.

TIP! Never allow your training sessions to run on for too long. Since dogs do not have a long attention span, short lessons will prevent them from getting bored.

Dogs only have the ability to focus on one thing at a time. After you repeat these cues enough, your dog will learn to focus on you, primarily, as he or she waits for signals.

TIP! When you’re training your dog, it is important that you understand primary reinforcement. Primary reinforcement employs a reward for his good behavior.

When you begin house training, select a phrase to use repeatedly with your pet. Each time you venture out for a bathroom trip, use this phrase to keep your dog focused on the task he came outside to accomplish.

TIP! “No” shouldn’t be a huge part of training. You need to look for positive ways to reinforce your commands when you train your dog.

“Leave it” is a command that should be taught and reinforced early on. This will help prevent them from chewing on your furniture or other items, as well as prevent them from having dangerous items in their mouths.

TIP! You cannot rush through the training process. Keep your training sessions short and sweet, this will help your puppy be more focused.

When you toilet train your dog, avoid accidents! Pay attention to the cues your dog displays to indicate that he needs to be outside. Some of the most common and obvious displays include whining, sniffing and pacing. If you see your dog doing this, let it out! Grab his leash and bring him to the spot where he uses the bathroom. Be sure to give him praise for proper toileting. The dog will eventually give you a sign when he needs to go out.

TIP! Accidents will sometimes happen when you are house training a puppy. Any accidents should be cleaned up as soon as possible to help with the training efforts.

“Quiet” is a command you will probably want to teach your dog. Any time the animal starts to bark, get its attention by showing him a tasty dog treat. Forcefully, speak the command until your pet ceases barking. You could give your dog treats. Repeating this enough times can help them associate the treat with the quiet command.

TIP! To avoid making your pet overweight, watch the number of treats you hand out in a day. The number of treats a dog gets during training can rack up pretty quickly, and a lot of owners overlook this part of their canine’s diet.

While you are in the process of housebreaking your puppy, expect the occasional accident to occur. Your training will go more smoothly if you always clean up accidents right away. The odors from these accidents will remain in the carpeting, which will attract your pet back to this same spot to use again and again for elimination purposes. Many products are sold that will neutralize these odors, so ask about them at your local pet store.

TIP! As you train your dog, have an eye on other dogs when walking yours. There are some dogs that are aggressive for reasons that have nothing to do with their owners.

Alter your tone when speaking to your dog during your training. Use a clearly defined tone for different commands, encouragement or directives. This makes it easier for the dog to link your expectations with different behaviors. You should use a firm tone of voice for your commands, a loud tone for your scoldings, and a natural, pleasant tone for your praise.

TIP! It is never a good idea to provide a reward for bad behavior when attempting to end a particular negative behavior. This will only teach the dog that it can do what it wants and has power over you.

When canine training, be sure that your dog’s leash has some slack in it. Canines are prone to being explorers when they are out and about. Their eagerness and energy may cause them to pull on the leash. If you know what you are doing then you will train them to walk on a leash with slack.

TIP! One of the first commands you should teach your dog is “down”. This command will be useful if you need to keep your dog from jumping on someone.

When training your puppy to use a leash, wrap a collar around him while the two of you are playing. Making sure your new dog is comfortable with a collar is important, particularly if you want to take them on walks and have some sort of identification tags for them to carry.

TIP! It is critical that you teach your dog the difference between correct and incorrect behaviors. Everyone in your house needs to enforce these strict rules.

Praise your dog often so that they look forward to training sessions. Smile and get excited and make your dog know that he is doing something you like. Negative behavior should never be rewarded because then, your dog will associate this bad thing with a positive reward, which will cause your dog to only continue this bad thing.

Don’t ever reward destructive or bad behavior. This teaches the dog that he is in control. For instance, do not give treats to the dog when it barks.

TIP! Most cases associated to dog bites result from fear. This can happen if the dog feels backed into a corner or otherwise unable to escape a bad situation.

The “down” command is something you should teach your dog. You can build from this command, or just have it handy in emergencies. Dogs trained in the “down” command will get to the ground within a moment of the command in tense situations, making this command a great safety tool.

TIP! Older dogs can certainly learn a trick, but be careful with physical limitations. An older animal with arthritis or other joint problems may lack the flexibility of a younger dog.

When thinking about barking, stay aware of activities or the environment when the dog is barking too much. When you understand the antecedent, you can manage the behavior correctly. For example, if strange people or animals cause your dog to bark, then you might need to spend more time socializing.

Older Dogs

TIP! Your dog should not get a cold voice from you because of a personal conflict with another human or the fact you got stuck in traffic. Keep in mind that unless your dog has misbehaved immediately before your interaction, your behavior toward the dog should be positive in nature.

Older dogs are going to have their limits. Older dogs may never learn all the tricks in the book. Remember that if you adopt an older dog, they may be very set in their ways. Teaching them some new things might be possible, but it’s easier to eliminate the biggest negatives while leaving the rest of them alone.

TIP! Your dog’s brain needs to be stimulated as well. Dogs who do not over-chew can greatly benefit from canine puzzle toys, as they help with problem solving and senses.

Never let your dog drag you. You are the one to be leading. Make use of a quality training collar as well as a short leash when you start training, be sure you keep the dog at a heel position as you walk and always enter doorways or gates ahead of the dog. Keep in mind that you are in charge!

Training your dog, as you have read, is not rocket science. Apply what you’ve learned here, and you’ll be an expert dog trainer in no time.